Soot blower head and valve mechanism therefor



May 6, 1952 R. H. WAGER sooT BLOWER HEAD AND vALyE MECHANISM THEREFOR 4 sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 18, 1947 NVENTOR. /gO-Ze rZzf I4@ May 6, 1952 R. H. wAGER sooT BLOWER HEAD AND VALVE MECHANISM THEREEOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 18, 1947 w1 4 .l m, EN A A ELS un www www; |41 N l H Amm) ,A E Nh,

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May 6, 1952 R. H. WAGER 2,595,377

SOOT BLOWER HEAD AND VALVE MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed June 18, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. .fo efr/ Wze 7" afi?.

May 6, 1952 R. H. WAGER 2,595,377

SOOT BLOWER HEAD AND VALVE MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed June 18. 1947 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented May 6, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE SOOT BLOWER HEAD AND VALVE MECHANISM THEREFIOR i Robert Hudson Wager, Maplewood, N. J. ApplicationJune 18, 1947, SerialvNo. 755,438

. 1 v This invention aims to provide a new and improved valved head designed primarilyfor soot blowers used in cleaning accumulations of soot from boiler tubes.

' Soot blower heads of the types most commonly used have for years been of expensive and complicated construction and have embodied numerous elements not only requiring expensive manufacturing procedure but prone to cause trouble and necessitate frequent repairs and replacements. The present invention, however, aimed to provide a greatly simplified and cheapened construction which nevertheless would be highly elcient and would give maximum service with a minimum of attention, and use of the improved structure has shown that this end has .been attained. vI have been enabled to dispense with springs, pressure-actuated valves, pilot valves, piston'rings, bypasses, cams, cam shafts, rocker arms, etc., whereas such elements have long been considered essentials in the soot blowers most commonly used.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation, the valve-actuating parts being shown in valveopen position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view with theparts positioned as in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, the parts, however, being shown in valve-closed position.

- Fig. 4 is a front end view partly in'section as indicated by line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are operational diagrams.

A preferred construction has been illustrated and will be rather specifically described, with the understanding', however, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made. Y

A stationary T-shaped body is shown at 8, the head 9 of said body being provided with a removable closure III at its front end and with a 'relatively small stuffing box II carried by said closure, while 4the rear end of said head is provided with a relatively large stufling box I 2. The front end of the'head/9 is provided with a bearing lug I3 which maybe integral with the head and which projects upwardly and forwardly therefrom, and a flange I4 is formed on the rear end of said head toV support rearwardly project# ing studs I5 which rigidly support a bearing plate I6.' The shank I1 of the T-shaped body '8 constitutes the steam inlet and is flanged at I8 for connection with a steam supply pipe. Behind this shank. a forwardly facing valve seat I9 is removably mounted in the 'head 8.

A valve of the disk or poppet ltype is co1 operable with the seat I9 and is provided with a stem 2I which extends forwardly through and beyond the stuffing box I I. The rear stuffing box I2 fluid-tightly engages the front section 22 of a conventional soot blowing element 23, said sec,- tion 22 being mounted in an appropriate bearing 24 carried by the plate I6 and being suitably secured to a gear 25 forming part of the means for rotating the blower element while steam is being discharged from said element through a longitudinal row of jet nozzles or openings (not shown) in said element against a bank of water tubes to blow the soottherefrom in a manner Well known in the art. The gear 25 is provided with a suitable flange 26 into which the front end of the rear or main section of the blower element is threaded, said iiange 26 having suitable set screws 21 for holding said main section against turning after it has been screwed into the flange.

, The above described bearing lug I3 includes an upper portion or bearing ear 28 in which the front end portion of a longitudinal shaft 29 is rotatably mounted, and the rear end ofthis shaft is mounted in a bearing 30 with which the bearing plate I6 is provided. The rear end of the shaft 29 is equipped with a piniony 3| meshing with the gear 25, and the front endof said shaft 29 has a conventional sprocket 32 for engagement with the usual continuous depending operating chain (not shown). The shaft 29 may be enlarged between its ends and coarsely threaded at 33' to constitute a screw, said screw being engaged with a traveling nut 34. At opposite ends of the screw 33, stop collars 35 and 36 are threaded on the shaft 29 to' limit the traveling movement of the nut 34, and said collars 35 and 36 have set screws 31 and 38 by means of which they may be locked after adjustment. The shaft 29 is of course held against longitudinal shifting,

and this is preferably accomplished by means of suitable thrust bearings or collars 39 and 40,suit-' ably mounted on said shaft and abutting opposite sides of the portion 28 of the bearing `lug I3,

' A block ,4| is adjustabl'ythrea'ded at 42 onfthe front end portion of the valve stem 2|, said block being provided with oppositely projecting Istuds 43. A lock nut 44 is threaded on the stem and abuts the front end of the block 4I to hold it in any set position upon said stem, and if desired, a cotter pin or the like 45 may be carried `bythe stem as a safeguard against loss of. the nut 44. The` front extremity of the valve' stem is preferably squared as shown at`46 for engagement 3 with a suitable tool when the valve is to be ground into its seat I9.

Two bell crank levers 41 are disposed at opposite sides of the bearing lug |3 and are fulcrumed at their angles to this lug by means of a bolt 48, said bolt being horizontal and transverse to the shaft 29 and the valve stem 2|. It will be noted upon reference to Fig. 3 that the screw shaft 29 and valvestem 2| are parallel to each other and that the valve 2U and its stem are coaxial with the rotatable blower element 22, 23. Each bell crank 41 has a downwardly projecting arm 49 and a rearwardly projecting arm 50.. The lower ends of the arms 49 are formed with slots 5| which pivotally and slidably receive the studs 43 of the block 4|, and the rear ends of the arms 50 are pivotally connected by meansfof; a bolt 52 with the lower ends of two links 53, which links are disposed at opposite sides of the traveling nut 34 and are connected at their upper ends-to this nutk by means. of a pivot bolt 54.

These links 53. normally occupy the `oblique position shown in Figs. 3 and 5,! the valve 20 being then closed. However, upon rotation of the shaft 29 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs..5, k6 and 7, the screw 33 moves. Vthe* nut 34 rearwardly. As soon as this rearward movement starts, the links 53 operate the bell cranks 41 to start opening the valve20 and by the time half the rearward travel of said nut has been completed (Fig. 6), said valve occupiesits ex.- treme open position. The rest of the rearward travel of the nut 34 again closes the valve 2|'as seen in Fig. '7. During these` operations, the gearing" 3|, 25Vrotat'es the blower element 23 and thus while the blowing steam is being supplied to said elementi by means of the open valve, it is performing the. desired blowing. functions upon the boiler tubes. Obviously, the nut 34 may be moved to. its` forward and rearward extremes as many times as desired and in each instance,Y travel. of the nutin one direction will move the parts from valve-closed positionto valve-open positions and to another valve-closedA position. Such movement of. thefvalveis due to the relative arrangement of the.nut,.the links and the bell. cranks since during the nuttravelfin'one directionthe link pivot 54 on the nut will'. pass the dead center of the link pivot 52 on the bell cranks. Whenzthe nut 34`is in` one valve-closed position, itabuts; the: collar 35, and Saidnutabuts the collar 36when occupyingitsotherivalve-closed position. Thus, the valve 20 does not act as a stopfor limiting the forward and rearward movements of the nut 34 and relieved of strain. Obviouslyv the nut will travel in one direction on the threads 33` of shaft 29. when. the chain Wheel 32 isturned in one di'- rection and will travel in the opposite direction whenv the direction of Yrotationof Vwheel 32 is reversed. It is al well known practice in operating asoot blower of this typehaving an endless-operating chain hung from a sprocket wheel on the shaft which actuates the moving parts of a-soot blower, to first pull one side of the Vchain torotate the blower element inA one direction' and to then pull the other side of-the chain `to reverse the direction of rotation of the, blower element,r and hence no operating chain on wheel 32 has been illustratedin the drawings.

Due to the .relation of Yelements shown, the valve 20 is opened to aneffective degree before any great amountl of rotation ofthe shaftV 29 occursyand theidle rotation: which said shaft'im'- parts tothe blower element 23:, prior to said` effectivefdegree of valve opening, is not. therefore,

4 objectionable. The further opening of the valve which occurs as the shaft 29 is further rotated. is simply excess movement, and until said valve has been again closed beyond said effective degree, by the continued rotation of the shaft 29, eiTective blowing will be accomplished. Moreover, the amount of idle rotation of the blower element 23 which occurs after closing movement of the valve beyond said effective degree. is small and unobjectionable.

When the valve 20 requires grinding, the bell cranks 41 may be easily removed. Then, removal of the closure I0, will remove the valve also. 'I'he grinding compound may then be placed on the valve, the closure I9 again secured in place, and the valve rotated with a suitable tool connected with thesquared end 46 of the stem 2|. After grinding and cleaning, the parts may be easily re-assembled and the block 4| readjusted on the stem. Removal of the closure I0 and the valve 20 as a single unit is also of advantage for valve and seat inspection and replacement.

In theconstruction shown, to facilitate initial engagement of the nut 34 withthe screwv 33 and any disconnection of said nut from said screw whichmight later be required, said nut .is formed from two sections 34a and 34h, which maybe securedtogether by screws or the like. The upper nut section 34a is formed with two spaced. lugs through which bolt 54 passes as shown in Fig s v2 and 4. When said nut 34 strikes the stop collar 35 in its movement in one direction, av shoulder on shaft 29 forces a ring or washer as shown in Fig. 3 aaginst the rotatable member. of the ballbearing thrust bearing 40. When said nut 34 in traveling in the opposite direction, strikes stop collar 3S, the rearward thrust of shaft 29 is taken up by the movable member of theball-bearing thrust bearing 39 as said movable member is engaged by an adjustable collar threaded on shaft 29 as shown in Fig. 3. All of the. end thrust of the shaft is thus stopped by the heavy lug2-and there is no likelihood of breaking ify excessive force is applied to wheel 32.

Attention is called to the fact that they operative connections between nut 34 and valve 20 are such that the valve will be wide open before the nut gets to its centerposition andl stays open while theV blower element is turned a full revolution, thus giving the full steamnpressure to the element 23 while the latter makesa 360 sweep. The valve does not startl to close untilv nut 34 moves beyond its center position, so that element 23 will make aboutv two revolutions during the full travelA of the nut in one direction or the movement of valve 20 from its closedposition, to a full open position and then back to its closed position.

It will bevfurther noted that the above Adescribed arrangement of the parts is such-that the valve will befgradually'opened so that there will bev no danger of the steam cracking theblower element; even'thoughthe movementof the valve at the beginning of itsgopening movement and at the end of its' closing movement will be quicker than its movementI during thebalance of its re-l ciprocation because of the relative positioningv of thenut, the; links and the bell cranks. In other words the valve will be held relatively stationary in its extremey open position while the pivot 54 passes; the dead .center of the pivot 52 but the movement of the valve will be accelerated as the nut moves in either direction'from such dead center position of the pivots'. While inz avery large percentage of installations itis necessary thatthe blower element make a full revolution in order to effectively clean the boiler tubes, in some cases it is only necessary for the element to rotate through a smaller arc. In such cases the Stop collars 35 and`36 may be set to start and stop the rotation as the desired points; and it is obvious that the nut 34 may be started from either valve closed position according to whether the blower element is to be turned in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the object of the invention, and particular attention is invited to the fact that the present construction requires no springs, pressure-actuated valves, pilot valves. bypasses, cams, cam shafts and rocker arms.

Excellent results have been obtained from the construction shown and it is, therefore, preferably followed but attention is invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claims,` 1. In a soot blower, a head having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said head having a valve seat between said inlet and outlet, a blower element rotatably connected to said head to receive fluid therefrom, a valve cooperable with said seat and having a slldable stem extending to the exterior of said head, an operating shaft for simultaneously` actuating said element and said valve, said shaft having screw threads and being rotatably mounted at the exterior of said head with its axis parallel with the axis of said element, a trav eling nut engaged with the thread on said shaft, means between said shaft and said element for rotating the latter when said shaft is rotated, a bell crank fulcrumed at its angle at the exterior of said head and having one of its arms operatively connected to said stem to slide the same, the other arm lof said bell crank extending in the direction of the axes of said shaft and said element, and a link pivoted at one of its ends to said other arm of the bell crank and pivoted at its other end to said nut, said link normally occupying oneV valve-closed oblique position, both said valve stem and blower elenent being parallel to the axis of the operating shaft and the arrangement of the nut, link and bell crank being such that when said nut travels in one direction upon `rotation of said shaft jin one direction, the link pivot on said nut will pass the dead center of the link pivot 'on the other arm of the bell crank, whereby the one direction travel of the nut will swing said link from said one-valve closed oblique position to valve-open positions and then to a second valve-closed oblique position while said element is being continuously rotated in the same direction.

2. An improvement in a soot blower of the type having a blower element rotatably connected to a head having a iiuid inlet and a valve for controlling the admission of fluid to said element, said valve having a slidable stem coaxial with the axis of rotation of said element, the element being rotated from a rotary shaft at the exterior of said head and having its axis parallel with the axis of said element, said improvement comprising the provision of screw threads on said shaft, a traveling nut engaged with said screw threads, a bell crank fulcrumed at its angle at the exterior of said head and having one arm operatively connected to said valve stem to slide the same, the other arm of said bell crank extending in the direction of the 'axis of said element, and

a link having one end pivoted to said nut and itsother end pivoted to said other arm of said bell" crank, said link normally occupying one valve-i' closed oblique position, the arrangement of said nut, link and bell crank being such that when said nut travels in one direction upon rotation of said shaft in one direction, the link pivot onl said nut will pass the dead center of the link pivot on said other arm of the bell crank, whereby the one-direction travel of the nut will swing said link from said one valve-closed oblique position to valve-open positions and thenlto a second valve-closed oblique position while said element is being continuously rotated in the same direction. f

3. In a 'soot blower, a rotary blower element,` a head having a valve for supplying a blowing. uid under pressure to said element, the latter being rotatably connected to said head, said valve having a cycle of movement from closed to open position and back to closed position, an operating shaft for simultaneously actuating said .element and said valve, said shaft having screw threads and being mounted for rotation at the exterior of said head with its axis parallel with. the axis of said element, means between said shaft and said element for rotating the latter when said shaft is rotated, a travelling nut engaged withv said screw threads, a bell crank fulcrumed at its angle at the exterior of said head and having an arm operatively connected to said valve to positively move the same, the otherarm of said bell crank extending in the direction of the axis of said shaft, and a link plvotally connected toV said nut and to said other arm of said bell crank for positively moving said bell crank when saidfnut travels cn said threads, the arrangement of the nut, link and bell crank beingL such that when said shaft is rotated in one direc. tion, the one direction travel of said nut will cause the valve to move through a complete cycle of operation while said element is being rotated through an arc ofA at least 36. k,

4. A structure as specified'in claim 3, together, with at least one stop longitudinally adjustable on said shaft to limit theitravel of said. nut one direction.

5. In a soot blower, a head having a fiuid' inlet and a uid outlet, said head havinga valve seat between said; inlet and outlet, a blower element rotatably, connected to said head to receive fluid therefrom, a valve cooperable with said seat and having a slidable stem extending to the exterior. of said vhead, said stem being in alignmentwith the axis of rotation of said element, an operating shaft "for simultaneously actuating said element and said valve, said shaft having screw threads and being rotatably mounted at the exterior of said head with its axis parallel with the axes of said element and said valve stem, means between said shaft and said element for rotating the latter when said shaft is rotated, a traveling nut engaged with said screw threads, a bell crank fulcrumed at its angle at the exterior of said head and having an arm operatively connected to said valve stem to slide the same, the other arm of said bell crank extending substantially parallel with the axis of said shaft, and a link plvotally connected at one of its ends to said nut and at its other end to said other end of the bell crank.

6. A structure as specified in claim 5, together with at least one stop longitudinally adjustable on said shaft to limit the travel of the nut in one direction.

1 --7;1 In!al soot-blower. a head 'having afstufiing. box-endian external. apertured bearing ear at itsY front-end, the-re'ar-end of said head havingy a fluid outlet, said head-*being provided with a fluidy inlet behind said stuffing box and with a for-A Waidlyyfacing valve seat-between said fluid-inlet and? said; fluid. outlet, a-rotary blower element connected-withsaid fluid outlet, a valve cooperableiwithl-said` seat and having-a stem slidable through said stuffing. box, an operating shaft mounted/ forrotation on said head and havingA one-- end extending through said apertured-beari'ng-V ear, said shaftbeing provided with screwthreads'and-having its axis parallel with the axis offsaid stem; a-bell crank fulcrumed at-its angle onsaid head on an axis transverse to said head and having one ofits arms' connected to the tront-endlof said valve stem to slide the samev and itsother arm directed rearwardly',- atraveling nut; onI saidf threads, af linkv pivoted at one of itsends tosaid nut and at its-other end to said rearwardly directed-'arm of said bell crank,- and thrust "collars onsaid shafton opposite sides of saidapertured bearing ear.

8. In a* sootblower, a head having a stuffing box and an upwardly projectingbearing lug at its frontend; saidlug having an aperturedbearing ear= risingtherefrom, the rear endof said head? havingafluidoutlet, said head being provided with al uidinlet behind said stuffing box andI with a forwardly facing valve seat between said inlet and said outlet, a rotary blower elementconnected with said fluid outlet, a valve cooperablewith' said seat and havinga stem slidable through saidstuifing box, in operating shaft mounted for rotation on said head and having one-end extending through said aperturedv ear, said shaft being provided with screw threads and having its axis parallel with the axis of said stem, gearing between said shaft and said elementv for rotating the latter when said shaft is rotated, a pair of bell cranks, one disposed at each side of said-bearing lug and fulcrumed on an axis transverse to said head on said lug, one of the arms of each of saidbell cranks extending downwardlyl and beinggoperativelyconnected to the front end-of said valve stern, the other arm of each of said bell cranks being directed rearwardly; a traveling nut-onthe threads of'saidshafav a pair o ifjlinks disposed' on opposite sides of said'nu't, saidf'lirrkshaving their upper ends pivoted' to said 'nut-and their lower ends pivoted to portions ofthe rearwardly extendingarms of said bell cranks.'` thrust `.collars on said shaft on opposite sides of saidaperturedear, and at least one stop longitudinallyadjustable yon Vsaid, shaft-to. limitv the. travel of. said nut in oney direction.A

9. In a-soot blower, a rotatably mounted blower element, a head for supplying'. a,- blower fluid under pressure to said element, a-reciprocatory control valve for said fluid in said head, an operating shaft rotatably mountedV on` saidy head,-v

gearing connecting said Shaft with said blower elementior rotating the latter'as said shaft'is operated, and means between said shaft and said valve forpositively moving the latter when said shaft sfrotated,. said means including a nut to travel onscrew threads on said shaft, a bell'crank fulcrumed` on said head and having oneA of its arms operatively connected to said.' valve. and a link connecting said' nut with the'other arm of said bell crank..said other arm extending in generally parallel-relation with the axis o'f said shaft tol provide-'adead center'position for said link.

10; In' a soot blower, a rotatably mounted blowerelement, a head for supplying a blowerl fluid under pressure -to said element, a-valve movable to control the supply of uid to said-element, an operating shaft rotatably mounted on said head and-having a screw threaded portion, a driving connection between said shaft andsaid blower element for rotating the latterwhen said shaft is operated, andmeans between said shaftA and said valve for positively-moving the-latter' when said shaftl is rotated, said means including'- a nut to travel on the-screw-threads on said shaft, aV bell crank fulcrumed on said head and having vone of its arms operatively connected toy said'valve to move the same, and a link-pivoted at oneof its ends to said nut and pivoted at its other end to the other arm of said bell crank, thelast mentioned arm of said bell crank extend-v ing in generally parallel relation with the axis of said shaft to cause the link pivot on the nut to"V pass the' dead center' of the link pivot on the bell crank when the nut travels in one direction on said shaft.

ROBERT HUDSON WAGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following. references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numberj 1,413,601 1,666,080A 1,924,550 Y 

